Sun, 31 March 2013
Rise Up! “You are my light. You are my joy. You are my strength. I rise in You. You are my hope. You are my love. You are my peace. I rise in You. Let every heart be lifted higher. Let every soul now be inspired to rise in You! You are the force that lifts the eagles' wings . . . . that makes my heart to sing . . . . that turns an acorn to a tree. You are the power working miracles in me!” (Resurrection prayers inspired by lyrics written by Claudia Carawan) |
Sun, 24 March 2013
“When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ . . . . So the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from death . . . went to meet him, because they heard that he had done this sign” (John 12:12-18). Into Your hands, God, I commend my Spirit. |
Sun, 17 March 2013
Your Green Thumb On the morning of St. Patrick’s Day, here at Unity, we are all honorary Irish, and all invited to be blessed by the wearin’ of the green. In our Scripture, we find so many references to the blessings of “green:” “The pastures of the plain are green” (Joel). “Like green leaves the just flourish” (Proverbs). “Blessed is the he who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream . . . . its leaves stay green” (Jeremiah). “In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me” (Psalm 23:2). King David’s last words were these, that somehow sound right spoken with a brogue: “The spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue . . . . ‘He that rules . . . in justice . . . is like the morning light at sunrise on a cloudless morning, making the greensward sparkle after rain’” (II Samuel 23:2-4). May the road rise up to meet you! “God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fertile and multiply . . . . See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it . . . to be your food; and to all the . . . living creatures . . . I give all the green plants for food’" (Genesis). You are divinely gifted with a green thumb for growing great ideas! |
Sun, 10 March 2013
Jesus & Women In the midst of a culture where it was considered shocking for a man to speak publicly with a woman who was not a relative, Jesus acknowledged the pure Self of every soul. When the Canaanite woman – an outsider -- begged Jesus to heal her daughter, at first He seemed hesitant, but when she beseeched Him, He spoke the word for the daughter’s healing. I am willing to be healed because I am worthy. I am worthy to be healed because I am willing. Jesus’ Pharisee host was shocked when a woman of the city anointed Jesus’ feet at a banquet, but Jesus replied that she was forgiven because she loved so much. I am forgiven because I love. I love because I am forgiven. When Jesus asked a Samaritan woman – with whom Jews would ordinarily have had no dealings – to draw water from the well for Him, He told her about the living water of His Truth teachings. I seek Truth because Truth alone satisfies me. Truth satisfies me because I seek only Truth. When the scribes and Pharisees asked Him for a judgment about a woman caught in adultery, He said that the one among them who was without sin should cast the first stone. I do not condemn because only the Christ is innocent. Because the Christ is innocent, I am not condemned. |
Sun, 3 March 2013
Healing Going On “And Jesus said to the centurion, ‘You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.’ And at that very hour (his) servant was healed” (Matthew 8:13). Jesus “took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on him and asked, ‘Do you see anything?’ Looking up he replied, ‘I see people looking like trees and walking.’ Then he laid hands on his eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly” (Mark 8:22-5). The Canaanite woman said, “‘Please, Lord . . . .’ Then Jesus said to her in reply, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed from that hour” (Matthew 15:27-8). “Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath” (John 5:9). “I am becoming stronger. I am becoming whole. I walk in beauty, in the healing light of love” (from the lyrics of “The Healing Light of Love” by Penny Nichols). There is a healing going on! |